Spinal-column buttress plate assembly and method for attachment

Abstract

A spinal-column (e.g., cervical-column) buttress plate assembly and method for attaching together first and second vertebral bodies of a spinal column (e.g., cervical column) of a medical patient. Bone screws are inserted into the vertebral bodies at optimum locations on the vertebral bodies. A buttress plate having an elongated slot is placed on the vertebral bodies so that the heads of the bone screws are positioned in the elongated slot. Inner screws are threaded into the bone screws to expand their heads against the opposing edges of the elongated slot thereby attaching the buttress plate to the vertebral bodies.

1 . A method for attaching together first and second vertebral bodies of a spinal column of a medical patient, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
 a) obtaining first and second bone screws;    b) obtaining a buttress plate;    c) inserting the first bone screw into the first vertebral body of the spinal column of the medical patient;    d) inserting the second bone screw into the second vertebral body of the spinal column of the medical patient; and    e) attaching the buttress plate to the first and second bone screws after performing steps a) through d).    
   
   
       2 - 23 . (canceled)